As we reported over on Relix.com last night, Radiohead is allowing fans to set the price for its seventh studio album, In Rainbows. Shortly after several cryptic messages appeared coded in the groups webpage, this weekend Radiohead quietly announced that its first album since 2003s Hail to the Thief would be available for digital download on October 10 via the groups own independent channels. Fans will be able to name their own purchase price and will then be sent a confirmation e-mail containing an activation code on or before October 10.
Radiohead has been working on In Rainbows since early 2005 and road tested several new songs in 2006, including at the 5th annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The album, the groups first since parting ways with longtime album EMI in 2005, will include the new songs ’15 Step,’ ‘Bodysnatchers, ‘Nude,’ ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi,’ ‘All I Need,’ ‘Faust ARP,’ ‘Reckoner,’ ‘House of Cards,’ ‘Jigsaw Falling into Place’ and ‘Videotape.’ As previously reported, the album was produced by Nigel Godrich and Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and mixed in New York this summer.
According to the groups webpage, ‘on or before’ December 3 Radiohead will also issue a discbox containing the new album, a disc of bonus material and an assortment of photos and art. The discbox will be available for 40 online and will also include a two disc vinyl version of In Rainbows. An In Rainbows Wikipedia page was also up and running within minutes of Radioheads announcement.